Luke Kibet becomes the first gold medallist in Osaka (© Getty Images)
Commonwealth 10,000m champion Boniface Kiprop will challenge World Marathon champion Luke Kibet for the BUPA Great South Run title next Sunday (28) in Portsmouth.
The 22-year-old Ugandan ace was added to the elite field over the weekend and his clash with the Kenyan will be one of the highlights in the 10 miles race.
While Kibet, after his runaway victory two months ago in Osaka, will be stepping down in distance, Kiprop, who missed out on the 2004 Olympic 10,000m medal, will be stepping up from his favourite event.
Kiprop is no stranger to British road races having twice in the last three years finished runner-up in the BUPA Great Edinburgh Run and third in last year's BUPA Great Manchester Run.
Following his outstanding performance as a teenager at the Athens Olympics, he went on to set a world junior 10,000m record at the Memorial Van Damme Golden League meeting in Brussels.
"Kiprop's an awesome talent and I'm sure will give Kibet a testing race over a very fast, flat course which will suit him," said the event's elite athletes director Matthew Turnbull.
"Already he is gearing himself up for next year's Olympic Games where four years older, he is determined to improve on his display in Greece. On paper Kibet must start favourite but I'm sure it is going to be an excellent head-to-head between the pair whose managers both report have been producing excellent results in training."
Neither will rest on their laurels with Yared Asmerom, the World championships Marathon fourth finisher and Dan Robinson who placed 11th also in the field.
"Jonathan Maiyo of Kenya and Spain's Chema Martinez will also offer healthy opposition, so another quality race appears to be on the cards," added Turnbull.
Tracey Morris, Liz Yelling and Mara Yamauchi, all serious candidates for places in the British side for next summer's Olympic Marathon, will also be action against favourite Rose Cheruiyot of Kenya.
Nicola Hedley for the IAAF
